Year: 2025
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The brain has been considered an information-processing system that perceives and transforms information (Greenwood, 2015; Wickens, 2021). By learning the statistical regularities of incoming information, the brain gradually develops a predictive mechanism to help individuals navigate more effectively in the real world (Rao et al., 1999). Evidence of prediction can also be observed in the field of language processing (Ryskin & Nieuwland, 2023). Although accumulating studies have shown that prediction facilitates language processing, fewer studies have explored the role of prediction in bilingual language processing, particularly with an emphasis on language switching. In the present dissertation, I therefore aim to investigate the role of prediction in language processing, including language production and comprehension in both within-language and cross-language contexts. Study 1 of this dissertation explored whether prediction modulates language control during language switching. Participants were presented with a classifier first (e.g., a drop of) and were then instructed to name a picture, which could be congruent (e.g., water) or incongruent (e.g., book) with the classifier. The classifier language and response language were always the same. In addition, in Experiment 1, the response language remained consistent across all trials, whereas in Experiments 2 and 3, the response language could either remain the same or differ between two consecutive trials. In Experiment 1 with English monolinguals, better performance was observed in semantically congruent trials (a grain of wheat) than in semantically incongruent trials (a grain of book). In Experiments 2 and 3 with Chinese–English bilinguals, this semantic classifier congruency effect was replicated, but the effect differed in size as a function of language (larger for L1 than for L2). Additionally, bilingual language control was influenced, as the language-switching cost was smaller in congruent than in incongruent trials. These findings suggest that prediction influences both L1 and L2 language production and that this facilitation of language production through prediction further impacts language control during language switching. While Study 1 was conducted by manipulating the classifier–noun phrase within a language (within-language context), Study 2 assessed whether prediction influences subsequent within- and cross-language production. The experimental procedure was similar to that of Study 1, except that the classifier language and response language could be the same or different within each trial. In Experiment 1, both classifier language and response language varied, whereas classifier language was kept constant within blocks (but manipulated across blocks) in Experiment 2. In both experiments, better performance was observed in semantically congruent conditions than in semantically incongruent conditions, showing a semantic classifier congruency effect as in Study 1. However, this effect was found only when the classifier and response language were the same; it was absent or even reversed when they were different. These findings suggest that prediction facilitates subsequent within-language production but hinders cross-language production. The findings of Study 2, which indicated no prediction effect in cross-language contexts, raised the question of whether (and under which conditions) processing a classifier triggers prediction for the following input. To address this question, Study 3 conducted two visual world eye-tracking experiments, one examining a within-language context and the other a cross-language context. During the experiments, participants heard a classifier–noun phrase (e.g., a drop of water) and clicked on one picture corresponding to the noun from a set of three displayed on the screen. Across trials, the noun could be congruent (e.g., a drop of water) or incongruent (e.g., a drop of books) with the classifier. With this experimental setting, Study 3 additionally investigated how prediction was processed when it was not confirmed by the following input (i.e., when a classifier–noun phrase ended with a semantically incongruent noun). Regarding the three pictures shown on the screen, one, two, or none of the pictures could be congruent with the classifier. While Experiment 1 used the same language (participants’ L1, Chinese) for the classifier and noun, Experiment 2 used different languages (Chinese for the classifier and participants’ L2, English, for the noun). Results showed that participants looked more at congruent pictures than at incongruent pictures while and after hearing a classifier. Additionally, congruent non-target pictures attracted more attention in the within-language (Experiment 1) than in the cross-language (Experiment 2) condition. These findings suggest that processing a classifier triggers prediction for the following input. In addition, inhibition of a recently activated (i.e., congruent) target picture is more pronounced in cross-language situations (i.e., L2 comprehension following L1) than in within-language situations (i.e., L1 comprehension following L1). Together, these findings suggest that prediction influences language control during language switching. In addition, prediction differs between within-language and cross-language situations during language production and comprehension. These findings highlight the important role of prediction in language processing across diverse contexts.
Source: RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen)
Author: Tong, Jing
Institution: RWTH Aachen University
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7154368201
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